Written Answers Tuesday 23 September 2008

Scottish Executive

Agriculture

Liam McArthur (Orkney) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that farm inspection officials adopt a light touch approach in respect of cross-compliance measures where recent bad weather conditions have impacted on landscape management.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government does not have to alter current policy, in light of the recent bad weather conditions because the Good Agricultural and Environmental Condition (GAEC) measures for Scotland were drawn up to reflect Scottish conditions and the country’s wide variability of soils, habitats and farming systems.

  The Scottish Cross Compliance regulations make provision for the effects of adverse weather conditions such as are being experienced this year.

Alcohol Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of alcohol poisoning there have been in the Lothians in each year since 1997, broken down by hospital.

Shona Robison: The following table provides information on the number of discharges from general acute hospitals with a diagnosis of alcohol poisoning between 1997-98 and 2006-07 for patients treated in NHS Lothian, by hospital. Provisional figures are provided for 2006-07. Figures in the table include all patients treated in NHS Lothian, some of whom may be resident elsewhere.

  

 
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03


 Western General Hospital
 x
 x
 x
 -
 x
 x


 Royal Hospital for Sick Children
 x
 x
 x
 -
 x
 x


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
 604
 579
 546
 503
 623
 626


 St John’s Hospital (Howden)
 109
 133
 90
 107
 140
 134


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (Little France)
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Total
 716
 718
 637
 610
 765
 765



  

 
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 Total


 Western General Hospital
 x
 x
 x
 -
 8


 Royal Hospital for Sick Children
 x
 x
 x
 -
 13


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh
 72
 -
 -
 -
 3,553


 St John’s Hospital (Howden)
 97
 76
 110
 146
 1,142


 Royal Infirmary of Edinburgh (Little France)
 238
 509
 743
 816
 2,306


 Total
 409
 586
 854
 962
 7,022



  Notes:

  1. – Indicates number is zero.

  2. x Indicates number not shown either because frequency lies between 0 and 5 or to prevent disclosure of another masked number.

Alcohol Misuse

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many cases of alcohol poisoning there have been in the Lothians in each year since 1997, broken down by age group and sex.

Shona Robison: The number of discharges from general acute hospitals with a diagnosis of alcohol poisoning between 1997-98 and 2006-07 for patients resident in NHS Lothian by age group and sex are provided in the following table. Figures for 2006-07 are provisional.

  

 Both Sexes
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 Total


 Under 20 years
 76
 71
 48
 60
 94
 88
 50
 51
 77
 104
 719


 20 - 24 yrs
 95
 89
 67
 67
 71
 87
 40
 71
 95
 126
 808


 25 - 29 yrs
 80
 96
 84
 76
 78
 71
 26
 47
 70
 106
 734


 30 - 34 yrs
 93
 85
 84
 91
 115
 97
 48
 56
 91
 86
 846


 35 - 39 yrs
 100
 101
 90
 97
 134
 133
 68
 86
 152
 147
 1108


 40 - 44 yrs
 88
 90
 93
 71
 85
 120
 63
 103
 138
 130
 981


 45 - 49 yrs
 64
 49
 59
 65
 76
 75
 47
 60
 79
 100
 674


 50 - 54 yrs
 46
 50
 42
 16
 38
 37
 23
 47
 62
 78
 439


 55 years and over
 40
 48
 39
 37
 47
 31
 34
 41
 63
 57
 437


 Total
 682
 679
 606
 580
 738
 739
 399
 562
 827
 934
 6,746



  

 Males
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 Total


 Under 20 yrs
 26
 33
 19
 26
 45
 32
 18
 14
 22
 35
 270


 20 - 24 yrs
 56
 54
 35
 33
 37
 51
 15
 36
 35
 60
 412


 25 - 29 yrs
 42
 57
 45
 40
 38
 33
 13
 22
 31
 48
 369


 30 - 34 yrs
 43
 49
 40
 37
 48
 60
 20
 28
 37
 42
 404


 35 - 39 yrs
 57
 52
 43
 41
 39
 51
 24
 38
 77
 48
 470


 40 - 44 yrs
 39
 37
 39
 24
 21
 56
 22
 48
 51
 56
 393


 45 - 49 yrs
 24
 20
 20
 24
 29
 37
 11
 24
 31
 38
 258


 50 - 54 yrs
 20
 29
 22
 9
 15
 17
 12
 16
 22
 39
 201


 55 years and over
 16
 20
 23
 19
 26
 15
 13
 19
 31
 27
 209


 Total
 323
 351
 286
 253
 298
 352
 148
 245
 337
 393
 2,986



  

 Females
 1997-98
 1998-99
 1999-2000
 2000-01
 2001-02
 2002-03
 2003-04
 2004-05
 2005-06
 2006-07
 Total


 Under 20 yrs
 50
 38
 29
 34
 49
 56
 32
 37
 55
 69
 449


 20 - 24 yrs
 39
 35
 32
 34
 34
 36
 25
 35
 60
 66
 396


 25 - 29 yrs
 38
 39
 39
 36
 40
 38
 13
 25
 39
 58
 365


 30 - 34 yrs
 50
 36
 44
 54
 67
 37
 28
 28
 54
 44
 442


 35 - 39 yrs
 43
 49
 47
 56
 95
 82
 44
 48
 75
 99
 638


 40 - 44 yrs
 49
 53
 54
 47
 64
 64
 41
 55
 87
 74
 588


 45 - 49 yrs
 40
 29
 39
 41
 47
 38
 36
 36
 48
 62
 416


 50 - 54 yrs
 26
 21
 20
 7
 23
 20
 11
 31
 40
 39
 238


 55 years and over
 24
 28
 16
 18
 21
 16
 21
 22
 32
 30
 228


 Total
 359
 328
 320
 327
 440
 387
 251
 317
 490
 541
 3,760

Architecture and Design Scotland

Robin Harper (Lothians) (Green): To ask the Scottish Executive when the first policy and financial management review of Architecture and Design Scotland will be undertaken and what the terms will be of this review.

Linda Fabiani: The Scottish Government is committed to ensuring that each public body is subject to a policy and financial management review at least once every five years. Architecture and Design Scotland started operating on 1 April 2005 and this first review of its activities will take place early so that it can contribute to our programme of simplification of public services - which includes a commitment to refine the responsibilities of Architecture and Design Scotland within the reshaped built environment sector.

  The terms of reference for the first stage of the review will be:

  1. An examination of the functions of Architecture and Design Scotland and how these are currently delivered at a strategic, operational and local level. This would include a review of the resources invested; the external changes that have occurred following its creation; the outcomes and benefits being achieved by Architecture and Design Scotland, and, in particular, how the body engages with national, regional and local delivery partners, including local government.

  2. An examination of the effectiveness of Architecture and Design Scotland; assessing its impact with key decision makers and the public, drawing on stakeholder, customer and staff views on the strengths and weaknesses of the current structural and delivery arrangements, and determining whether changes in structure and behaviour are required.

  As an essential part of the review process, officials will be consulting widely with interested parties.

Blood Transfusion Service

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13173 and S3W-13172 by Shona Robison on 3 June 2008, whether it anticipates that the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service will continue to be a part of the current tender for the provision of nucleic acid testing of blood products for hepatitis C in England, Wales and Scotland.

Shona Robison: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) is participating in a joint tender for the provision of nucleic acid testing (NAT) of blood components for hepatitis C in England, Wales and Scotland. SNBTS has undertaken HIV NAT testing since 2002 and supply of this test will be part of any tendering exercise.

Blood Transfusion Service

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answers to questions S3W-13172 and S3W-13173 by Shona Robison on 3 June 2008, whether the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service intends to introduce a separate tender for the provision of nucleic acid testing of blood for hepatitis C and HIV to cover Scotland only.

Shona Robison: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service is currently taking part in a tender process which has not yet reached a conclusion.

Blood Transfusion Service

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it would refuse to accept provision of nucleic acid testing of blood from a provider offering a test for hepatitis C but not offering similar testing for HIV.

Shona Robison: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service intends to award a tender to a supplier who can supply both hepatitis C and HIV nucleic acid testing assays to the necessary standards.

Blood Transfusion Service

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what discussions it has held with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service about future nucleic acid testing of blood products.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government has had regular discussions with the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service about future nucleic acid testing of blood components.

Blood Transfusion Service

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what involvement it had in the decision that Scotland would enter into the tender with England and Wales on nucleic acid testing for blood products.

Shona Robison: The Scottish Government encourages the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service to work closely with the other UK blood services to facilitate continuous quality improvement and effective and efficient service delivery. These efforts are co-ordinated through the UK (Blood Services) Forum which involves the blood services in the four UK territories.

Blood Transfusion Service

Ross Finnie (West of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what it anticipates would be the impact of any new nucleic acid blood testing system in the Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service (SNBTS) on current arrangements for SNBTS testing of blood products from Northern Ireland.

Shona Robison: The Scottish National Blood Transfusion Service has informed the Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service of its intention to enter into a joint tender with England and Wales for a state of the art nucleic acid testing system. The Northern Ireland Blood Transfusion Service has advised they would wish the current testing arrangements to continue, subject to contractually agreed periodic review processes.

Care Commission

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many pre-school nurseries received unannounced visits from the Care Commission in each of the last five years.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of each category of care service was visited (a) once, (b) twice and (c) more than twice by the Care Commission and what percentage of each category of care service was never visited in each of the last five years.

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many unannounced visits have been carried out by the Care Commission for each category of care provision in the last year.

Shona Robison: Inspection of registered care services is an operational matter for the Care Commission within the requirements of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001. The information requested is not held centrally.

  Section 25 of the act, as amended by the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 (Minimum Frequency of Inspections) Order 2007 sets out the minimum frequencies at which the Care Commission must inspect care services. The minimum frequency of inspections varies depending on the type of care service.

  You can contact the chief executive of the commission at the following address:

  Ms Jacquie Roberts

  Chief Executive

  Scottish Commission for the Regulation of Care

  Compass House

  11 Riverside Drive

  Dundee

  DD1 4NY

  E-mail: Jacquie.roberts@carecommission.com.

Carers

Hugh O'Donnell (Central Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what practical steps it will take to ensure that the process of re-tendering for social care providers does not result in poorer quality service for users.

Shona Robison: The tendering and commissioning of social care services is the responsibility of each local authority.

  The Scottish Government’s Procurement Directorate issued on 22 August 2008 updated guidance for local authorities about social care procurement. A copy of the guidance (SPPN 10/2008) is available on the Scottish Government website at:

  http://.cci.scot.nhs.uk/Resource/Doc/116601/0065310.pdf.

  The guidance advises that contracting authorities should have a strategy for the procurement of social care services which recognises the need to maintain the quality and continuity of services and addresses the concerns of vulnerable service users and their relatives.

  Whether services are provided directly by a local authority or secured from private or voluntary sector providers, where they are a care service under the terms of the Regulation of Care (Scotland) Act 2001 they must be registered with and inspected by the Care Commission, taking account of the relevant National Care Standards.

Census

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what changes it proposes to the 2011 Census questions compared to those in 2001.

John Swinney: Recommendations for the questions to be included in the 2011 Census will be presented to Parliament later this year, as a preliminary to the formal approval of the Census Regulations early in 2010.

Climate Change

Sarah Boyack (Edinburgh Central) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what representations it will make to encourage the UK Committee on Climate Change to allot sufficient time to considering policy and contextual issues specific to Scotland.

Stewart Stevenson: As a sponsor of the Committee on Climate Change the Scottish Government will play an active role to ensure that Scottish issues are adequately considered. The UK Climate Change Bill enables the Scottish ministers to request advice in relation to Scottish emissions targets. The bill also requires the committee to take account of differences in circumstances between England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland when advising on UK carbon budgets.

Community Care

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what it is doing to support the improvement of social care services for people with multiple sclerosis and other disabling neurological conditions.

Shona Robison: We are working closely with COSLA to promote a community care outcomes framework which offers a carefully designed suite of 16 measures which community care partnerships can use to evidence the improvement of outcomes for people who use community care services and their carers.

  We are also committed to improving choice and control for individuals who wish to access self directed support to meet their assessed personal, social and health care needs.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct measures have been issued by procurators fiscal for crimes of indecency in each month since January 2007, broken down by sheriff court.

Frank Mulholland QC: The following table shows the number of charges of "public indecency" where the initial decision taken by the Procurator Fiscal was to deal with the offending behaviour by means of a direct measure.

  These figures do not include direct measures which were not affected by Summary Justice Reform such as Procurator Fiscal warnings.

  Charges: Public Indecency1,2

  

 Procurator Fiscal Office
 April 2007
 June 2007
August 2007
September 2007
October 2007
November 2007
January 2008
 Total


 Alloa
 - 
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Edinburgh
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1


 Glasgow
 4
 3
 -
 1
 1
 1
 -
 10


 Paisley
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1


 Grand Total
 4
 3
 1
 1
 2
 1
 1
 13



  Notes:

  1. Please note that there is no individual crime of "indecency". The crime of public indecency is commonly referred to by the public as "indecent exposure", and does not cover other forms of indecency which are criminal under other crimes.

  2. The information in the table has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s case management database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency, the database will record details only of the amended charge.

  3. The database is charge-based. The figures quoted therefore relate to the number of charges rather than the number of individuals charged or the number of incidents that gave rise to such charges.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct measures have been issued by procurators fiscal for fireraising in each month since January 2007, broken down by sheriff court.

Frank Mulholland QC: The following table shows the number of charges of "Fireraising", where the initial decision taken by the Procurator Fiscal was to deal with the offending behaviour by means of a direct measure.

  The information in the table is based on charges of Culpable and Reckless Fireraising, Fireraising, Reckless Fireraising, Wilful Fireraising, Attempted Fireraising, and charges relating to offences under section 56 of the Civic Government (Scotland) Act 1982 (laying or lighting a fire so as to endanger any other person or property). The four Civic Government Act charges related to setting fire to cabling The other charges related to setting fire to refuse bins, wheelie bins, cardboard boxes, plastic seats and wooden picnic tables.

  These figures do not include direct measures which were not affected by summary justice reform such as Procurator Fiscal warnings.

  Charges: Fireraising1, 2,

  

Procurator Fiscal Office
February 2007
July 2007
April 2008
May 2008
June 2008
August 2008
Grand Total


 Airdrie
 1
 
 
 
 
 
 1


 Dunfermline
 
 
 
 1
 
 
 1


 Hamilton
 
 
 
 
 3
 1
 4


 Jedburgh
 
 
 
 
 
 1
 1


 Linlithgow
 
 
 1
 
 
 
 1


 Stirling
 
 1
 
 
 1
 
 2


 Grand Total
 1
 1
 1
 1
 4
 2
 10



  Notes:

  1. The information in the table has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s case management database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency, the database will record details only of the amended charge.

  2. The database is charge-based. The figures quoted therefore relate to the number of charges rather than the number of individuals charged or the number of incidents that gave rise to such charges.

Crime

Gavin Brown (Lothians) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many direct measures have been issued by procurators fiscal for vandalism in each month since January 2007, broken down by sheriff court.

Frank Mulholland QC: The following tables show the number of charges under section 52(1) of the Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995 (wilfully or recklessly destroy or damage property), where the initial decision taken by the Procurator Fiscal was to deal with the offending behaviour by means of a direct measure.

  The figures do not include direct measures which were not affected by Summary Justice Reform such as Procurator Fiscal warnings.

  Table 1: Charges - Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995, Section 52(1) - 20071,2

  

 Procurator Fiscal Office
Jan 2007
Feb 2007
Mar 2007
Apr 2007
May 2007
Jun 2007
Jul 2007
Aug 2007
Sep 2007
Oct 2007
Nov 2007
Dec 2007


 Aberdeen
 9
 -
 7
 6
 2
 3
 7
 6
 2
 -
 1
 4


 Airdrie
 2
 5
 6
 -
 4
 1
 -
 3
 3
 1
 1
 1


 Alloa
 2
 -
 -
 3
 -
 -
 -
 2
 -
 1
 5
 -


 Arbroath
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 -
 -
 2
 1
 -
 -


 Ayr
 5
 -
 1
 1
 -
 1
 -
 1
 2
 3
 -
 2


 Banff
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Campbeltown
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Cupar
 1
 1
 -
 2
 4
 -
 -
 -
 2
 2
 1
 -


 Dingwall
 4
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Dornoch
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Dumbarton
 2
 1
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 2
 1
 -


 Dumfries
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 3
 -
 -


 Dundee
 -
 1
 1
 -
 3
 -
 2
 1
 -
 1
 3
 1


 Dunfermline
 3
 3
 -
 -
 2
 4
 -
 1
 3
 1
 7
 1


 Dunoon
 -
 1
 -
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Duns
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Edinburgh
 3
 1
 8
 3
 1
 9
 2
 5
 1
 4
 1
 8


 Elgin
 2
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Falkirk
 4
 1
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 3
 3
 3
 1
 2


 Forfar
 -
 5
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 7
 1
 -


 Fort William
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 1
 -
 -


 Glasgow
 11
 15
 20
 20
 10
 22
 36
 9
 17
 20
 9
 20


 Greenock
 15
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 3
 4
 1
 -
 -
 -


 Haddington
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 5
 -
 1
 1
 -
 1
 1


 Hamilton
 1
 3
 2
 -
 1
 1
 3
 6
 3
 4
 3
 2


 Inverness
 2
 2
 -
 1
 2
 5
 2
 -
 2
 2
 2
 -


 Jedburgh
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Kilmarnock
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 1
 1
 -


 Kirkcaldy
 7
 -
 2
 3
 11
 6
 -
 -
 2
 2
 -
 2


 Kirkcudbright
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Kirkwall
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 2


 Lanark
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1


 Lerwick
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Linlithgow
 -
 -
 1
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 2


 Lochmaddy
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Oban
 -
 -
 1
 -
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Paisley
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 1
 3
 4
 -
 3
 -
 3


 Peebles
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Perth
 1
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 6
 1
 1
 -
 2


 Peterhead
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -


 Rothesay
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 2
 1
 -
 -


 Selkirk
 2
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 1


 Stirling
 5
 -
 1
 3
 3
 5
 1
 2
 5
 2
 5
 1


 Stonehaven
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 2
 1


 Stornoway
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 1
 -
 -
 3


 Stranraer
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1


 Tain
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Wick
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Total
 86
 41
 56
 45
 50
 65
 67
 60
 59
 70
 49
 62



  Table 2: Charges - Criminal Law (Consolidation) (Scotland) Act 1995, Section 52(1) - 2008 1, 2

  

 Procurator Fiscal Office
Jan 2008
Feb 2008
Mar 2008
Apr 2008
May 2008
Jun 2008
Jul 2008
Aug 2008


 Aberdeen
 1
 2
 9
 19
 22
 13
 8
 22


 Airdrie
 1
 1
 5
 13
 8
 6
 11
 11


 Alloa
 6
 3
 6
 6
 3
 5
 6
 1


 Arbroath
 2
 -
 -
 3
 11
 6
 3
 2


 Ayr
 3
 1
 7
 6
 11
 6
 4
 3


 Banff
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 5
 -
 -


 Campbeltown
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 4
 -
 -


 Cupar
 -
 -
 1
 1
 5
 12
 7
 3


 Dingwall
 -
 -
 5
 13
 -
 3
 -
 -


 Dornoch
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -
 4
 2
 -


 Dumbarton
 1
 2
 2
 1
 1
 7
 2
 1


 Dumfries
 -
 1
 4
 7
 6
 9
 4
 1


 Dundee
 2
 1
 2
 4
 4
 8
 3
 4


 Dunfermline
 4
 1
 3
 4
 10
 11
 28
 8


 Dunoon
 -
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -


 Duns
 1
 -
 2
 -
 1
 8
 -
 2


 Edinburgh
 6
 4
 19
 18
 17
 34
 9
 8


 Elgin
 -
 -
 2
 8
 4
 8
 8
 1


 Falkirk
 1
 1
 11
 6
 4
 10
 11
 5


 Forfar
 -
 2
 3
 2
 8
 1
 2
 1


 Fort William
 -
 -
 2
 1
 5
 1
 1
 1


 Glasgow
 16
 14
 17
 27
 34
 41
 18
 22


 Greenock
 -
 1
 4
 2
 4
 1
 2
 -


 Haddington
 -
 -
 1
 1
 2
 -
 1
 -


 Hamilton
 2
 1
 2
 6
 12
 3
 11
 4


 Inverness
 -
 2
 8
 6
 15
 22
 4
 2


 Jedburgh
 -
 -
 2
 1
 6
 3
 9
 6


 Kilmarnock
 3
 1
 13
 14
 21
 11
 8
 4


 Kirkcaldy
 5
 -
 4
 15
 18
 16
 29
 23


 Kirkcudbright
 -
 -
 -
 1
 2
 1
 -
 -


 Kirkwall
 1
 1
 -
 1
 1
 -
 1
 1


 Lanark
 -
 2
 -
 3
 5
 4
 1
 5


 Lerwick
 -
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1


 Linlithgow
 -
 1
 3
 4
 10
 9
 4
 5


 Lochmaddy
 1
 -
 -
 -
 -
 -
 1
 -


 Oban
 -
 -
 1
 3
 1
 1
 3
 -


 Paisley
 1
 -
 6
 13
 13
 11
 6
 5


 Peebles
 -
 -
 -
 1
 1
 1
 -
 -


 Perth
 5
 1
 2
 12
 10
 9
 5
 2


 Peterhead
 -
 -
 1
 -
 4
 -
 -
 7


 Rothesay
 -
 -
 2
 2
 4
 1
 -
 -


 Selkirk
 -
 -
 3
 2
 1
 1
 1
 1


 Stirling
 -
 -
 7
 15
 4
 4
 7
 3


 Stonehaven
 3
 -
 -
 -
 2
 1
 2
 10


 Stornoway
 -
 -
 -
 3
 3
 3
 3
 1


 Stranraer
 1
 -
 -
 1
 1
 1
 2
 -


 Tain
 -
 1
 9
 3
 4
 -
 3
 2


 Wick
 -
 -
 19
 3
 1
 -
 1
 -


 Total
 67
 45
 188
 252
 299
 305
 232
 178



  Notes:

  1. The information in these tables has been extracted from the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service’s case management database. The database is a live, operational database used to manage the processing of reports submitted to procurators fiscal by the police and other reporting agencies. If a Procurator Fiscal amends a charge submitted by a reporting agency, the database will record details only of the amended charge.

  2. The database is charge-based. The figures quoted therefore relate to the number of charges rather than the number of individuals charged or the number of incidents that gave rise to such charges.

Environment

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what practical support it is giving to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to reduce carbon emissions.

Jim Mather: We are funding the Carbon Trust in Scotland, the Energy Saving Scotland advice network and Envirowise Scotland to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to reduce carbon emissions. They provide a number of practical support measures including:

  Free and impartial information and advice;

  Free on-site energy, waste and water audits;

  Practical guides and best practice literature;

  Low carbon, clean fuel and renewable technologies;

  Green fleet reviews and sustainable travel planning;

  Relevant training and seminars, and

  Signposting to financial support schemes.

Environment

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial support it is giving to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises to reduce carbon emissions.

Jim Mather: We offer loans of between £5,000 and £100,000 through our interest free loan scheme to encourage small and medium-sized enterprises make capital investments in energy efficiency and microgeneration technologies.

Ferry Service

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the decision to proceed with a ferry services review has any bearing on the timescales for making a decision about the proposed Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service.

Stewart Stevenson: The decision to proceed with a ferry services review has no bearing on the timing of current deliberations regarding the proposed Lochboisdale to Mallaig ferry service.

Ferry Service

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15433 by Stewart Stevenson on 3 September 2008, under what provisions the need for an open and transparent tendering process arises.

Stewart Stevenson: I referred in my answer to question S3W-15433 to the tendering of a subsidised ferry service in an open and transparent procurement process. A requirement for an open and transparent procurement process can arise as a result of the operation of general principles of European Union and domestic procurement law, the provisions of the European Union Maritime Cabotage Regulation, or European Union rules on state aid.

Ferry Service

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether CalMac Ferries Ltd could be authorised or has the power to enter into arrangements with others for the provision of services or to assist with the provision of services for which they hold contracts.

Stewart Stevenson: CalMac Ferries Ltd are able to enter into arrangements with others for the provision of services or to assist with the provision of services for which they hold contracts. This is provided they continue to deliver the Clyde and Hebrides ferry service as per the terms of the public service contract with the Scottish Government.

  However, where the value of the contracts exceed the European Union procurement thresholds, CalMac Ferries Ltd, as a publicly-owned company, could only do so on completion of an open and transparent procurement process. Tendering processes such as this can typically take a year or more to complete.

Ferry Service

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether CalMac Ferries Ltd can enter leasing arrangements on the open market for vessels or for vessels and vessel operating services in the provision of its services.

Stewart Stevenson: CalMac Ferries Ltd can enter leasing arrangements on the open market for vessels or for vessels and vessel operating services in the provision of services. This is provided they continue to deliver the Clyde and Hebrides ferry services as per the terms of the public service contract with the Scottish Government.

  However, where the value of the contract exceeds the European Union procurement thresholds CalMac Ferries Ltd, as a publicly-owned company, could only do so on completion of an open and transparent procurement process. Procurement processes such as this can typically take a year or more to complete.

Freight

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the volumes of freight traffic are on the (a) A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar, (b) A68 between the Scottish-English border and Dalkeith and (c) A697 between the Scottish-English border and the A68.

Stewart Stevenson: Automated traffic counters monitor traffic volumes on the A1 at Grantshouse and on the A68 at Pathhead. The most recently available figures are for 2007 and show average annual daily Flows for heavy goods vehicles at these locations as follows;

  A1 – 1711 vehicles per day.

  A68 – 734 vehicles per day.

  The A697 is a local road under the jurisdiction of Scottish Borders Council. The council holds the relevant traffic statistics for this road.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what national guidance is currently provided to NHS boards for the provision of neurological services.

Shona Robison: NHS boards are responsible for the provision of services for those of their resident populations living with a neurological condition.

  Better Health, Better Care indicates the priority which we give to the development of Managed Clinical Networks for neurological conditions.

  There are SIGN Guidelines on certain neurological conditions, such as epilepsy, and others are in development. NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is currently developing clinical standards for neurological conditions.

  As part of the work on our 18 week referral to treatment target, a task and finish group has been set up to look at neurological services.

Health

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how it monitors the provision of neurological services by NHS boards.

Shona Robison: NHS Quality Improvement Scotland are preparing clinical standards for neurological services. Once these have been published, NHS boards will be expected to provide services in line with the standards.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-14337 by Nicola Sturgeon on 15 July 2008, when NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde instigated its look-back review of Clostridium difficile cases at the Vale of Leven Hospital.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde instigated its six month look-back exercise into the number of Clostridium difficile cases and the number of Clostridium difficile deaths on 5 June 2008.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15608 by Nicola Sturgeon on 8 September 2008, whether any amendments were made to the draft reports from the independent review team and Health Protection Scotland between 1 August 2008 and publication on 7 August 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Independent Review Report was sent to the publishers on 1 August 2008.

  The Health Protection Scotland (HPS) report was commissioned by the Scottish Government. The information for the report was provided by NHS boards was for analytical interpretation of the data by HPS. Amendments were made to the report, during the specified period, by scientific and professional staff to provide clarity of interpretation.

Hospital-Acquired Infection

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the Healthcare Associated Infection (HAI) Task Force has developed an HAI monitoring framework with key performance indicators and, if so, when it was implemented.

Nicola Sturgeon: The HAI monitoring framework with key performance indicators was incorporated into the revised NHS Quality Improvement Scotland HAI Standards published in March 2008.

International Development

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will provide details of all international development programmes it (a) is funding in 2008-09 and (b) will fund in (i) 2009-10 and (ii) 2010-11, and which Scotland-based agencies are or will be involved in delivery.

Linda Fabiani: Funding decisions for the Malawi development programme will be made in the next few weeks. The funding process for the Sub-Saharan Africa development programme has begun and decisions will be made towards the end of the year. The Indian Subcontinent programme is currently under development.

  All information regarding the funding awards will be provided on the Scottish Government website when available.

International Development

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what meetings and discussions Scottish ministers have had since May 2007 with ministers and officials of the Department for International Development regarding the Executive’s work on international development.

Linda Fabiani: The Secretary of State for International Development has not yet scheduled my requested meeting with him. However, there have been a number of official level discussions with the UK Department for International Development (DFID), and I met with the Head of DFID Malawi during my visit to the country in February 2008.

Justice

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the contract with Medacs Healthcare for the provision of non-specialist medical services will end and when NHS boards will take over these services.

Fergus Ewing: Provision of medical services in police custody is determined at a local level, and each police force in Scotland has arrangements in place for the health care of those in their custody. In January 2009, Tayside Police and NHS Tayside will begin a three year pilot partnership to provide police surgeon services, covering custody health care, forensic services, and training and development. The model of service provision subsequently adopted will be informed by the evaluation of the pilot.

Lottery Funding

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned by the analysis of the Fairer Scotland Fund in Third Force News on 29 August 2008, which stated that "most of the money is going to programmes delivered – or, at the very least, led by – public sector agencies."

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has provided each community planning partnership with an allocation from the Fairer Scotland Fund to assist delivery of priority outcomes for disadvantaged communities and people in their area.

  It is for each individual partnership to decide how best to invest this money.

Lottery Funding

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it is concerned by the analysis of the Fairer Scotland Fund in Third Force News on 29 August 2008, which stated that over 10% of the fund is going directly to public sector posts.

Stewart Maxwell: The Scottish Government has provided each community planning partnership with an allocation from the Fairer Scotland Fund to assist delivery of priority outcomes for disadvantaged communities and people in their area.

  It is for each individual partnership to decide how best to invest this money.

  By reducing reporting requirements associated with the fund, compared to the seven separate programmes which preceded it, the Scottish Government has enabled community planning partnerships to prioritise frontline action and reduce administration.

Lottery Funding

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15405 by John Swinney on 2 September 2008, which body will conduct the review of policy directions informing the priorities for distribution of funding in Scotland by the Big Lottery Fund.

John Swinney: The review of policy directions will be undertaken by Scottish ministers drawing on the outcome of the consultation exercise undertaken by the Big Lottery Fund.

Lottery Funding

Johann Lamont (Glasgow Pollok) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15405 by John Swinney on 2 September 2008, whether the review of policy directions informing the priorities for distribution of funding in Scotland by the Big Lottery Fund will be the subject of public consultation.

John Swinney: A public consultation exercise will be undertaken by UK Big Lottery Fund and an accompanying Scotland document will offer the opportunity to gather input to the revision of Scottish Policy Directions. This will assist the Scottish Government shape the new policy framework for the Big Lottery Fund. The Scottish Government will be closely engaged in this consultation.

NHS Hospitals

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will outline the specific responsibilities of the "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive to whom the "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008, will report.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008, will be operational.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008, will monitor.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008, will be independent of the Scottish Government.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the frequency of inspections will be by the "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether the "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008, will monitor the implementation of all healthcare associated infection standards in hospitals.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008, will interface with the current self assessment of healthcare associated infection standards by NHS boards.

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the Cabinet Secretary for Health and Wellbeing intends to announce to the Parliament that she is establishing "bug busters" teams that are to inspect hospitals for cleanliness, as reported in Scotland on Sunday on 14 September 2008.

Nicola Sturgeon: The Scottish Government is developing detailed plans for inspections of hospitals and reporting arrangements for consultation. An announcement will be made in due course.

NHS Hospitals

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how the £1.4 million being made available to assist NHS boards that currently charge for car parking will be distributed.

Nicola Sturgeon: The funding will be distributed on the basis of the estimated income to be received by those NHS boards in 2008-09.

NHS Hospitals

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that the £1.4 million being made available to assist NHS boards that currently charge for parking is adequate to cover the on-going costs of providing and managing hospital car parks.

Nicola Sturgeon: Funding is being made available to assist those NHS boards which have factored car parking income into their financial plans over the financial year 2008-09. This action will give those NHS boards time to put in place measures to manage the financial implications of the removal of car park charges from 1 April 2009 onwards.

NHS Hospitals

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what additional costs it estimates that NHS Highland will incur in running its car parking facilities after 31 March 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: The additional cost which NHS boards will be required to manage is the loss of income from car park charging. NHS Highland have estimated that income to be around £610,000 in 2009-10.

NHS Hospitals

Rhoda Grant (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how it will ensure that front-line patient services will not be affected when NHS boards have to fully fund the costs of maintaining their own car parks after the transitional funding period ends on 31 March 2009.

Nicola Sturgeon: NHS boards are required to meet the health care needs of their resident population from within the funding made available to them. Ending car park charges does not change that and brings those NHS boards which currently charge into line with the nine NHS boards which have not introduced car parking charges.

National Care Standards

Mary Scanlon (Highlands and Islands) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what national guidance it provides to local authorities on the standards of care that should be provided for people living with multiple sclerosis and their carers.

Shona Robison: National care standards set out the quality of care for the range of care services available to people in need of such support.

  Our short breaks guidance is intended to support the development of personalised and preventative short breaks and will support local planning of respite care. The final version of this guidance will be published soon. To further support carers, we are providing £9 million over the next three years to help implement NHS carer information strategies.

  We also have measures in place to support young carers. This includes the development of a self-evaluation guide for young carers services to ensure the best possible support is available for this group. We will be setting out our priorities in a new carers’ strategy next year.

People with Learning Disabilities

Peter Peacock (Highlands and Islands) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it considers that some adults with learning disabilities are likely to require support services from day care facilities for adults with learning disabilities in the future.

Shona Robison: I refer the member to the answer to question S3W-15787 on 17 September 2008. All answers to written parliamentary questions are available on the Parliament’s website, the search facility for which can be found at http://www.scottish.parliament.uk/webapp/wa.search .

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many representations it has received, either directly or via Aberdeenshire Council, in relation to the planning application by Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, for a development at the Menie Estate, Aberdeenshire, and how many (a) were supportive, (b) requested that the development not be constructed on the Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and (c) approved of the development in its entirety.

John Swinney: We received correspondence from approximately 4,800 people prior to the public local inquiry into the planning application for the Menie Estate, and have received around 1,600 pieces of correspondence following the close of the inquiry. We do not hold the information broken down in the manner requested, which could only be obtained at disproportionate cost.

Planning

Des McNulty (Clydebank and Milngavie) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it expects to receive the reporter’s report and recommendations following the public local inquiry into the planning application by Trump International Golf Links, Scotland, for a development at the Menie Estate, Aberdeenshire, and whether receipt of the report, if not its contents, will be made known to the Parliament or to relevant parties to the inquiry.

John Swinney: We expect to receive the report of the public local inquiry during the autumn. We will advise Parliament and will make an announcement through the Scottish Government’s website when the report of the inquiry is submitted by the reporters.

Population

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of the Scottish population is comprised of black and minority ethnic people, broken down by local authority area.

John Swinney: The most recent complete information is available from the last census, in 2001, when black and minority ethnic people were 2 per cent of the population of Scotland.

  A breakdown by local authority area is given in table, "Black and minority ethnic groups by Scottish local authority area (percentage of population)", available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 46538). The percentage of black and minority ethnic people ranged from 0.4 per cent in Orkney Islands to 5.5 per cent in Glasgow City.

Prison Service

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what the estimated cost is of the two non-departmental bodies recommended by the Scottish Prisons Commission for each of the next three financial years.

Kenny MacAskill: The Scottish Government will produce its reply to the findings of the Prisons Commission’s report by the end of the year.

Procurement

Karen Gillon (Clydesdale) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when it will publish guidance on sustainable food procurement.

Richard Lochhead: Guidance on sustainable food procurement is already in place. It is currently being updated and will be re-issued in the near future. It complements the next steps announced on 19 June for Scotland’s National Food and Drink Policy, towards ensuring an agile and proactive public sector which understands food and drink and which supports sustainable economic growth for food and drink.

Public Sector Staff

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of local authority staff is comprised of black and minority ethnic employees, broken down by local authority and department.

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of local authority housing department staff is comprised of black and minority ethnic employees, broken down by local authority.

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of local authority senior staff posts are filled by black and minority ethnic employees, broken down by local authority.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government does not hold information on the percentage of local authority staff comprising of black and minority ethnic employees by department or grade of post. Information from local authorities on the ethnic composition of their total staff was recently requested as part of the Joint Staffing Watch survey. Having received such information from a majority of local authorities, further quality assurance work needs to be undertaken with the statistics before any analysis can be produced. Dependent on the outcome of this work, new analysis on the ethnicity of local authority staff may be published later in the year. Prior to this, individual local authorities may be able to provide further information on the ethnicity of their staff.

Public Sector Staff

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of local authority social work staff is comprised of black and minority ethnic employees, broken down by local authority.

Jim Mather: The following table provides a breakdown of the percentage of local authority social work services staff who were reported as being of an ethnic minority in the Annual Local Authority Social Work Services Staffing Census for October 2007.

  The ethnic minority group includes the following ethnic backgrounds: Mixed, Asian, Asian: Scottish, Asian: British, Asian: Indian, Asian: Pakistani, Asian: Bangladeshi, Asian: Chinese, Asian: Other, Black, Black: Scottish, Black: British, Black: Caribbean, Black: African, Black: Other, Other Ethnic Group

  Also supplied is the percentage of staff for each local authority who were reported as having an unknown/not disclosed ethnicity.

  

 Local Authority
 Ethnic Group


 Minority (%)
 Not Known/Not Disclosed (%)


 Aberdeen City Council
 1.4
 47.2


 Aberdeenshire Council
 0.3
 47.6


 Angus Council
 0.0
 2.3


 Argyll and Bute Council
 0.9
 17.0


 Clackmannanshire Council
 0.6
 10.9


 Dumfries and Galloway Council
 1.0
 0.0


 Dundee City Council
 0.0
 100.0


 East Ayrshire Council
 0.0
 0.0


 East Dunbartonshire Council
 1.2
 14.0


 East Lothian Council
 0.7
 7.8


 East Renfrewshire Council
 0.6
 0.3


 City of Edinburgh Council
 3.0
 2.7


 Comhairle nan Eilean Siar
 0.0
 100.0


 Falkirk Council
 0.1
 36.1


 Fife Council
 0.8
 7.3


Glasgow City Council
2.0
5.0


The Highland Council 
0.0
100.0


Inverclyde Council
0.3
1.1


Midlothian Council
1.3
4.4


The Moray Council
0.2
69.3


North Ayrshire Council
0.1
38.9


North Lanarkshire Council
0.3
1.5


Orkney Islands Council
0.0
13.4


Perth and Kinross Council
0.5
8.1


Renfrewshire Council
1.4
0.0


Scottish Borders Council
0.1
24.3


Shetland Islands Council
0.7
37.1


South Ayrshire Council
0.1
0.0


South Lanarkshire Council
0.6
1.8


Stirling Council
1.0
19.4


West Dunbartonshire Council
0.0
100.0


West Lothian Council
1.1
19.4


Scotland
1.0
21.6



  Source: Staff of Scottish Local Authority Social Work Services, 2007.

  Notes:

  Figures reported in the table should be treated with caution for the following reasons.

  1. Overall for Scotland, the ethnicity of just over one fifth of staff (21.6%) was unknown/not disclosed in October 2007.

  2. Information regarding the ethnic background for all staff in Dumfries and Galloway, Dundee City, Eilean Siar and West Dunbartonshire is currently not known/disclosed.

Public Sector Staff

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it is taking to achieve fair representation of black and minority ethnic employees in the local authority workforce, including fair representation in promoted posts.

John Swinney: Responsibility for employing staff or promoting staff in local authorities is a matter for the local authorities themselves. Local authorities are required to take such action as is necessary to meet their obligations under existing equal opportunities legislation.

Rail Network

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what further consideration it has given to the Glasgow Crossrail scheme since the Members’ Business debate on 17 April 2008.

Stewart Stevenson: Transport Scotland received a copy of the final STAG report from Strathclyde Partnership for Transport (SPT), which was fed into the Strategic Transport Projects Review (STPR).

  Transport Scotland has now delivered its initial findings from the STPR to ministers and they will need to give careful consideration to these findings before being in a position to make any public announcement.

Rail Network

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15238 by Stewart Stevenson on 25 August 2008, whether it will consider whether the findings of The people’s rail: a mutually run, publicly accountable Network Rail could be relevant to the future of ScotRail franchise.

Stewart Stevenson: No consideration has been given, at this time, to the findings of the Co-Operative Party’s paper on the people’s rail, which proposes a mutually run, publicly accountable Network Rail.

  As part of the current periodic review 2008 process to determine Network Rail’s revenue requirement and track access charges, we looked to the Office of Rail Regulation to recognise the needs of Scotland and ensure that the periodic review’s final determinations, including the review of Network Rail’s licences and financial framework, support our priories and appropriately incentivise Network Rail. However if that process does not deliver what ministers need, then we must consider how to make changes for the better in Scotland. This may include how rail powers, currently reserved to Westminster, might be dealt with if responsibility lay with the Scottish Parliament.

  All contributions to the National Conversation on this matter would be welcomed.

Renewable Energy

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the value is of the fossil fuel levy attributable to Scotland and what plans it has for investing these funds in renewable energy.

Jim Mather: The balance in the Fossil Fuel Levy Account for Scotland, held by Ofgem, stands currently at just over £120 million.

  The Scottish Government continues to consider how best to make use of these funds in promoting a range of renewable energy technologies.

Road Accidents

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the accident rates are on the A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar.

Stewart Stevenson: The accident rate on the A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar broken down by single carriageway and dual carriageway sections is:

  

 
Single Carriageway Accident Rate 
(per 100 million Vehicle km)
Dual Carriageway Accident Rate 
(per 100 million Vehicle km)


A1 between the Scottish-English Border and Dunbar
18.96
13.61

Road Accidents

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the rates are of accidents involving a fatality on the A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar.

Stewart Stevenson: The fatal accident rate on the A1 between the Scottish-English border and Dunbar, broken down by single and dual carriageway sections, is as follows;

  

 
Single Carriageway Fatal Accident Rate (per 100 Million Vehicle km)
Dual Carriageway Fatal Accident Rate (per 100 Million Vehicle km)


A1 between the Scottish-English Border and Dunbar
2.58
0


Scottish Trunk Road Average
1.11
0.32

Road Safety

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what measures it has put in place to make roads safer.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Government takes road safety very seriously and is committed to making the roads safer for all road users.

  We are developing a 10-year road safety strategy for Scotland and have set up a panel of experts to advise on possible measures. The strategy will be published in late 2008.

  The Scottish Government provides funding to Road Safety Scotland (RSS) for the production of key road safety education initiatives and publicity messages. RSS brings together the main organisations interested in road safety, including local and central government, the police, fire and rescue service, motoring organisations and voluntary organisations.

  Amongst other initiatives the Scottish Government provided funding totalling nearly £50 million between 2003 and 2008 to local authorities for 20mph schemes outside schools and related safety projects, including safer routes to school and home zones.

  The implementation of road safety projects is a matter for relevant roads authorities, Transport Scotland for the trunk road network and local authorities for the local roads network.

Road Safety

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what funding has been made available to local authorities for the specific purpose of road safety.

Stewart Stevenson: Support for local authority roads is provided through the core local government finance settlement. It is however for the local authorities themselves to determine the level of spending for road safety in their area.

  Generally it is the responsibility of each local authority to allocate the total financial resources available to it on the basis of local needs and priorities, having first fulfilled its statutory obligations and the jointly agreed set of national and local priorities including the Scottish Government’s key strategic objectives and manifesto commitments.

Road Safety

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what new road safety projects there have been in (a) East Dunbartonshire, (b) Inverclyde, (c) Renfrewshire, (d) North Ayrshire, (e) West Dunbartonshire and (f) East Renfrewshire in each year since 2002.

Stewart Stevenson: Road safety on local roads is a statutory responsibility of local authorities. However, local authorities are not required to provide details of each project they undertake, therefore the information requested is not centrally available.

Roads

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what criteria are used to determine whether roads such as the A1 are in need of major improvement or upgrade.

Stewart Stevenson: The Scottish Transport Appraisal Guidance (STAG) provides an objective led, multi-criteria framework approach to consider possible options to address evidence based transport challenges. Options are assessed against five established STAG criteria of environment, safety, economy, integration, and accessibility and social inclusion, as well as cost to government and risk and uncertainty.

  Full details of the appraisal methodology is given in STAG, published by Transport Scotland in 2008, copies of which are available in the Scottish Parliament Information Centre (Bib. number 45951) and online at http://www.transportscotland.gov.uk/stag/home.

Roads

John Lamont (Roxburgh and Berwickshire) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive whether any studies or analyses have been carried out to determine the economic benefit of improving and upgrading the A1 between Dunbar and the Scottish-English border.

Stewart Stevenson: The Strategic Transport Projects Review is examining the longer term needs of Scotland’s national strategic transport network. This includes consideration of the A1 as part of the transport corridor between Edinburgh and the north east of England and beyond.

Roads

Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when an announcement will be made on funding arrangements for the Aberdeen Western Peripheral Route.

Stewart Stevenson: We are currently in week two of a possible 13 week public local inquiry. If the scheme is approved it is envisaged that procurement will take place through 2009. Funding arrangements will be addressed as part of the procurement process.

Rural Development

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive when the awards for the Scotland Rural Development Programme grant will be announced.

Richard Lochhead: The Scotland Rural Development Programme is being delivered through eight different funding mechanisms, some of which, including the Food Processing, Marketing and Co-operation (FPMC), have already made announcements regarding the award of grants.

  The most recent of these announcements, on Thursday 11 September, gave the results of the first assessment round for the new Rural Development Contracts – Rural Priorities (Rural Priorities).

  The Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs and the Environment announced that 81 proposals had been approved, in full or in part, and would share £5.9 million of funding.

  The next assessment round for Rural Priorities is scheduled to take place in October this year and the results will be announced shortly thereafter.

Scottish Enterprise

Stuart McMillan (West of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive how it is measuring or plans to measure the success of the new streamlined approach to Scottish Enterprise.

Jim Mather: The Scottish Government is working with Scottish Enterprise to develop a performance measurement and evaluation framework that is focused on national outcomes as set out in The Government Economic Strategy .

Scottish Government Expenditure

Derek Brownlee (South of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what its anticipated total cost of employers’ liability insurance is for 2008-09, broken down by directorate.

John Swinney: Crown bodies are not bound by the Employers’ Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 or the relevant Road Traffic Acts. The Scottish Government, therefore, is not statutorily required to insure the risks which may arise under those acts and does not seek external insurance for this purpose.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many of its officials have a basic pay in excess of the pay of an MSP.

John Swinney: The Scottish Government core departments have 296 permanent employees who currently receive a base pay in excess of the pay of an MSP.

  An MSP salary is currently £54,093 however there is a pay award pending.

Scottish Government Staff

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S3W-15237 by John Swinney on 25 August 2008, how many of the 218 full-time employees in its directorates and agencies aged between 60 and 64 are men.

John Swinney: Of the 218 full-time employees aged between 60 and 64 in the Scottish Executive directorates and agencies as given in answer to question S3W-15237, 161 are men. The numbers in each of the directorates and agencies is as follows:

  

 
 Age 60 to 64


 DG Economy
 11


 DG Education
 7


 DG Environment
 30


 DG Health
 4


 DG Justice
 11


 Permanent Secretary’s Office
 34


 Accountants In Bankruptcy
 2


 Fisheries Research Service
 12


 General Registers Of Scotland
 12


 HM Inspectors of Prisons
 1


 HM Inspectorate of Education
 6


 National Archives of Scotland
 7


 Office of the Scottish Charity Regulator
 1


 Student Awards Agency for Scotland
 3


 Scottish Fisheries Protection Agency
 7


 Scottish Public Pensions Agency
 5


 Transport Scotland
 8


 Total
 161

Scottish Government Staff

Bill Kidd (Glasgow) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of its workforce is comprised of black and minority ethnic employees, broken down by directorate.

John Swinney: The following percentages of minority ethnic staff were employed by Scottish Government directorates at 1 September 2008.

  

 Directorates
 % of Minority Ethnic Staff


 Economy 
 0.99


 Education 
 1.02


 Environment 
 0.64


 Finance and Corporate Services
 1.35


 Health
 0.44


 Justice 
 1.39


 Permanent Secretary
 0.00


 Total
 0.99

Sensory-Impaired People

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive how many unfilled vacancies there are in each local authority area for rehabilitation officers who work with sensory-impaired people.

Adam Ingram: The information requested is not held centrally. Information is collected annually by the Scottish Government on the local authority social work services workforce. The latest information is available at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2008/06/25090222/0 .

Sensory-Impaired People

Cathy Jamieson (Carrick, Cumnock and Doon Valley) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what provision has been made to train rehabilitation officers who work with sensory-impaired people.

Adam Ingram: Between 2004-08, the Scottish Government provided £300,000 to Guide Dogs for the Blind to support training. The Scottish Government also worked alongside Guide Dogs for the Blind, the Scottish Social Service Council and groups representing those with a sensory impairment, to develop National Occupational Standards for community care staff working with people with a sensory impairment. The standards include levels of competency around rehabilitation work.

  The Scottish Government is also providing £38,000 this year to Deafblind Scotland to support training.

  In addition, the Scottish Government is providing record levels of funding to local government, the majority of which is provided by means of a block grant. Local government, as part of our shared commitment to developing strong public services, invests significantly in the development of the social services workforce as a whole.

Single Outcome Agreements

George Foulkes (Lothians) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive which local authorities have produced their single outcome agreements under the concordat with local government.

John Swinney: Single outcome agreements were agreed with all 32 councils on 30 June 2008.

Tartan

Jim Hume (South of Scotland) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive what work is being undertaken in conjunction with trading standards officers and others to protect the Scottishness of tartan.

Jim Mather: There is currently no requirement in UK or EU law for goods to bear marks indicating their origin, nor is there anything to prevent voluntary origin marking where traders wish to do so. However, Consumer Protection from Unfair Trading Regulations (CPRs) came into force on 26 May 2008 and require traders not to mislead consumers in respect of where goods are made. This includes tartan. The CPRs are enforced by Trading Standards Services and the Office of Fair Trading. Possible breaches of the CPRs are a matter for the local authorities’ Trading Standards Services.

Waste Management

Iain Gray (East Lothian) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines it plans to issue to local authorities following the launch of its national waste strategy.

Richard Lochhead: The Scottish Government, and bodies funded by the Scottish Government, will issue guidance and information to local authorities on a number of issues, working closely with the COSLA. Waste Aware Scotland have just issued a report on recycling advisers at:

  http://www.wasteawarescotland.org.uk/pdf/Scottish%20Government%20Recycling%20Advisor%20Report.pdf.

  REMADE Scotland have recently published an analysis of Scottish recycling schemes at:

  http://www.remade.org.uk/files/KerbsideReport2008%20Final.pdf.

  The Scottish Government will include material on waste management in the forthcoming national planning framework, including material on the cap on the use of energy from municipal waste. We also intend to issue guidance on the use of the zero waste fund. During the preparation of the new national waste management plan for Scotland, we will consider, with COSLA, what further guidance might be helpful for local authorities.

Water Services

Keith Brown (Ochil) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what its position is on the conclusions and recommendations of Waterwatch Scotland’s report, Affordability of Scottish Household Water and Sewerage Charges: Historic Trends and Current Position , and whether it will make representations to the UK Government about social security benefit arrangements as they relate to water charges paid by households in the bottom income deciles.

Stewart Stevenson: The government are grateful to Waterwatch for this report which addresses a number of important issues. As is reflected in our draft statement of the Principles of Charging which was issued in May this year to inform the review of charges for 2010-14, we continue to regard the affordability of household water charges as a significant objective. The present concession for households in receipt of council tax benefit will continue.

  The significant efficiency gains made by Scottish Water in recent years has ensured that average household charges in Scotland are rising by less than inflation at a time when above inflation increases have been the norm in England and Wales. Scottish Water’s charges are now the third lowest in the UK and we are confident that this positive trend of improvement will continue during the next charging period of 2010-14.

  On the specific issue of social security benefit arrangements, we will make appropriate representations to the UK Government whenever it is in the interests of the people of Scotland.

Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

Scottish Public Service Ombudsman

Alex Neil (Central Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body whether it will carry out a review of the performance and effectiveness of the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman’s office.

Mike Pringle: As part of the annual budget process, the SPCB scrutinises the ombudsman’s annual business plan and budget projections to enable it to see what targets and outcomes are envisaged. In addition, as recommended by the then Finance Committee, the ombudsman submits to the SPCB quarterly statistics on its performance. Currently these measures are considered to be appropriate.